The Iowa Utilities Board (IUB) is a 3-member public utilities commission, with beginnings in 1878. It is a quasi-judicial tribunal, which regulates services and rates of electric, natural gas, water and telecommunication providers, as well as all pipelines and transmission lines in the U.S. state of Iowa and has existed with its present name since 1986.
In 1878 the Iowa Board of Railroad Commissioners was founded, whose three members were publicly elected for a two-year term. In 1911, an Office of Commerce Counsel was established within, which with increasing electrification took on the regulation of transmission lines. In 1937, it was renamed the Iowa State Commerce Commission.[1]
It was only in 1963 that the regulation of rates and services of all public utility companies (electricity, natural gas, water and telecommunications) became Iowa State Commerce Commission tasks. At the same time, the legislature extended commissioner terms to six years and the positions became appointed. In 1986, the state renamed the Commission as "Iowa Utilities Board".[1]
In August 2023, the IUB held hearings regarding Summit Carbon Solutions proposal to build 700 miles of carbon capture[disambiguation needed] pipeline in Iowa for carbon generated by ethanol plants to underground storage in North Dakota.[2], one of three companies planning such a project.[3]
The Iowa Utilities Board regulates rates and services of electric utilities, natural gas utility and water utilities, and a some telecommunication companies per Iowa Code chapters 476 through 479B.[4] It supervises all pipelines and transmission lines, and the sale and distribution of electricity. In addition it has various connected authorities like resolving disputes and dealing with complaints, enforcing safety as far as engineering standards go.[5]
The IUB regulates service and rates of the 2 Iowa electric companies, MidAmerican Energy and Interstate Power and Light Company (IPL), a subsidiary of Alliant Energy Company and also the Rural Electric Cooperatives (RECs). The latter can choose to be regulated for rates and only the Linn County, Iowa REC has chosen to do so.[5]
The IUB regulates rates and service of only the Iowa-American Water Company, which operates in Davenport, Iowa and Clinton, Iowa. It neither regulates small, nor municipally owned water utilities.[5]
The IUB regulates only the service of landline telephone providers in Iowa, and neither regulates cellphone providers, nor any rates. Since 2007 it issue cable television franchise agreements.[5]
The IUB decides about the building and maintenance of all pipelines, whether they carry gas, oil or carbon (Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Permit).
Members are appointed by the Governor of Iowa for 6-year terms. As of 2016[update] the IUB consisted of Libby Jacobs, Nick Wagner with Geri Huser as chairwoman.[6] As of 2023[update] the IUB consisted of Richard W. Lozier, Joshua Byrnes with Geri Huser as chairwoman.[7]
As of 2015, Huser has been described as "businessfriendly".[8] In 2017, there was a petition to remove Lozier because of connections to Energy Transfer Partners during teh time when the Dakota Access pipeline was being deliberated.[7]
Board members since the board's inception in 1986 are listed in the table per its website.[9]
| Term | Name | Function | Party |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987–1997 | Nancy Shimanek Boyd | ||
| 1988–1994 | Dennis Nagel | ||
| 1991–1999 | Emmit George | ||
| 1995–2001 | Allan T. Thoms | ||
| 1997–1999 | Paula Dierenfeld | ||
| 1999–2001 | Susan Frye | ||
| 1999–2007 | Diane Munns | ||
| 2001–2005 | Mark O. Lambert | ||
| 2002–2005 | Elliott G. Smith | ||
| 2005–2009 | John R. Norris | ||
| 2005–2007 | Curtis W. Stamp | ||
| 2007–2011 | Krista K. Tanner | ||
| 2007–2013 | Darrell Hanson | Republican | |
| 2009–2011 | Robert Berntsen | ||
| 2011–2013 | Swati Dandekar | Democratic | |
| 2013–2015 | Sheila Tipton | ||
| 2011–2017 | Libby Jacobs | interim chair May 1, 2011 - April 30, 2015 | Republican |
| 2013–2020 | Nick Wagner | Republican | |
| 2015–2023 | Geri Huser | chair | Democratic |
| 2017-2023 | Richard W. Lozier, Jr. | ||
| 2020-2025 | Joshua Byrnes | Republican | |
| 2023-2029 | Erik Helland | chair | Republican |
| 2023-2027 | Sarah M. Martz |